MILWAUKEE – UIC extended its winning streak to a season-best four games Monday night with a convincing road win at Milwaukee, 74-56.
 
The Flames (12-11, 7-3 Horizon League) have won seven of their last eight games in the month of January and posted the program's first four-game winning streak since 2012. UIC has won four straight road contests, as well, marking the first time since 2004 that the program has accomplished that feat.
 
Tarkus Ferguson scored a game-high 19 points, while adding six rebounds and five assists. Godwin Boahen added 13 off the bench and shot 75 percent (3-of-4) from beyond the arc in the victory.

The Flames held the Panthers (12-13, 5-7 Horizon League) without a field goal over the final 7:18 and to just five points from the free throw line in that span.
 
First Half Headlines

• Dixson Does Work Early: Dikembe Dixson took control of the proceedings early on, netting UIC's first seven points Monday. He opened the scoring with a baseline layup before canning a 3-pointer just over two minutes later that put the Flames in front 7-4. The sophomore also produced a pair of steals while matching up against UWM's leading scorer Brock Stull.
• Success From Downtown: After connecting for only nine 3-pointers combined over the last two games, the Flames found a rhythm from beyond the arc in the first half against the Panthers. UIC shot 58 percent (7-of-12) from long distance over the first 20 minutes with seven triples. Three of those came from Tarkus Ferguson, while Dixson, Dominique Matthews, Godwin Boahen and Michael Diggins each buried one.
• Tightening Up Turnovers: The Flames turned the ball over seven times in the first 12 minutes or so, which led to 10 Milwaukee points. UIC committed only one mistake in the final 7:30 and the Panthers could not score off that error.
• Finish Strong: The visitors expanded their lead from two points to nine over the final 2:50 of the first frame. Boahen stepped into a 3-pointer off a pass from Ferguson with 2:50 remaining to push the lead to five, 33-28. Diggins hit a triple with 2:16 left in the half and Ferguson converted four free throws in the final 1:35 to help the Flames carry a 40-31 lead into the break.

 Second Half Headlines

• Bench Boosts Lead: UIC's second unit continued to serve as a catalyst. Boahen continued to exhibit a hot hand from downtown in the second half. His three-pointer with 14:29 remaining put the Flames in front by 12, the first time the lead reached double digits. On the next possession Diggins splashed another home to increase the lead to 15 with just under 14 minutes to go.
• Lock It Down: While the Flames pushed the lead up to 17 on three occasions over the next several minutes, the Panthers had chopped it down to 11 with the help of a spirited six-point run. Bryce Nze's dunk with 7:18 to go made it 62-51 Flames, but that would prove to be the final field goal of the game for the home team. UIC's defense did not allow a bucket and only five free throws after the Nze slam en route to a convincing 18-point win.
• Exclamation Point: With the game and shot clocks winding down the Flames punctuated the win in style. Ferguson dribbled out the clock and broke toward the basket as the seconds ticked off. At the last moment he spotted Clint Robinson running to the rim and fed the big man a lob that was stuffed home for the game's final tallies.

Highlights

 

Notables

• With seven wins in the first 10 conference games, UIC continues its best start in Horizon League play since the 2003-03 campaign. That group was 8-2 through its first 10 contests before finishing the season with an #HLMBB mark of 12-4.
• The Flames have won four consecutive road games for the first time since the 2003-04 season. That squad won seven in a row away from the UIC Pavilion to conclude the regular season. The sixth and seventh wins came in true road games in the Horizon League Tournament at Butler and at Milwaukee.
• Monday's 18-point margin of victory is the largest in a true road game in the third season under head coach Steve McClain. The previous best, 14 points, came at Youngstown State on Jan. 18. Prior to that win, the Flames had not won a road game by more than five points under McClain.
• UIC has swept the regular-season series against Milwaukee in each of the last two seasons. It is the first time that the Flames have won back-to-back games at UWM Panther Arena since Jan. 10, 1994 and Feb. 18, 1995.
• Tarkus Ferguson scored a season-high 19 points. He made a season-high eight free throws (8-of-8) and matched a season high with three 3-pointers for the third time. It was the first time this year he led the team in scoring in a game.
• Jordan Blount had a season-high 10 rebounds. It was the fifth double-digit rebounding game of the season for the sophomore and the third in a row.
• Godwin Boahen is shooting 81.3 percent (13-of-16) from 3-point range over UIC's last five games. He is averaging 12.2 points per game off the bench during that span. The sophomore is shooting 65.4 percent with a team-high 17 3-pointers in League play.
• Michael Diggins made two of his three 3-point attempts Monday. He is shooting 75 percent (6-of-8) in 10 conference games this season.
• The Flames matched a season high with 10 steals for the second consecutive game. No player had more than two thefts for UIC.
• The Flames and Panthers tied on the glass with 37 rebounds apiece Monday. Both teams also pulled down 37 caroms in the first meeting on Jan. 12.
• UIC improved to 10-0 when leading at the half this season.
• The Flames have swept the regular-season series against two Horizon League foes: IUPUI and Milwaukee.
• UIC owns the longest active winning streak in the Horizon League at four games.

Postgame Reaction





Up Next

• The Flames will continue their three-game road trip at Oakland on Friday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. CT in a contest that will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
• The Golden Grizzlies won the first meeting of the season at UIC on Jan. 15, 78-68.
• The Flames will finish the road trip by taking on Detroit Mercy for the first time this season. By the time UIC meets the Titans, it will have already concluded the regular-season series against IUPUI, Milwaukee and Oakland.